Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Canola is the number one cash crop in Canada and contributes $29.9B to the Canadian economy annually. Nevertheless, the canola industry faces an ongoing threat from clubroot diseases, causing millions in losses annually.
Clubroot is caused by a fungus-like protist and results in large, disorganized growths on infected roots that disrupt water and nutrient uptake and result in wilting, stunting, and premature ripening of canola. Since its initial report in 2003, clubroot has been found in thousands of canola fields rapidly spreading across western Canada.
Growing clubroot resistant (CR) varieties in diverse rotations remains the most effective strategy for long-term management of this disease. However, current available CR varieties carry race-specific, dominant R genes that can be broken by shifts in the pathogen population. For instance, many new pathotypes identified in Alberta appeared capable of overcoming all first-generation sources of CR in commercial canola varieties. Even worse, some fields with second-generation CR canola have started to show symptoms of clubroot disease in recent years. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore new CR sources to effectively combat this rapidly evolving pathogen.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
If successful, this research will provide a new breeding tool that expedites the breeding process to provide durable clubroot resistance. In the long term, next generation clubroot resistance will allow for canola to be grown on fields where first and second generation resistance has broken down.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
Results of this project will be shared with producer groups, stakeholders, researchers, and industry representatives through talks and posters at genetics, genomics and agronomy meetings, both internationally and nationally.
Results will also be shared in peer-reviewed journals and resources will be made available to the canola research community.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.